Apparatus for concentrating liquids.



PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

P. KBSTNER.

FOR OONGENIRATING LIQUIDS.

APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED SBPT.14.1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. P. KBSTNER. APPARATUS FOR CONCBNTRATING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED SLPIHM. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTATns PATENT onirica.

PAUL KESTNER, OF LILLE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO KESTNER EVAPORATOR COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING- LIQUIDS..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 1'7, 1908.

Application filed September 14, 1906. Serial No. 334,698.-

To all Lt may concern:

Beit knewny that I, PAUL KnsTNER, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a-resident of Lille, Department Nord, France, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating Liquids, of whichI the following is a specification.

My invention relates to concentrating apparatus of the typedisclosed in my application for patent, filed December 31, 1 02, Serial No. 137,292, vand it comprises certain improvedmeans for feedingthe liquid to be concentrated to the sets of long vertical tubes in which evaporation is carried on.

My invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Figure 1, is a vertical section of one element of an evaporating apparatus made in accordance with the invention forming the subject of my application for patent before referredto; Fig. 2, is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the lower portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a similar sectional view showing another form of inlet pipe and illustrating a modification of my in# vention, and Figs. 4, 5 and 6, are sectional views similar to Fig. 2, illustrating further modifications lof my invention.

Y The apparatus forming the subject-matter of my a plication before referred to, relates to that class of co'ncentrators in whichl evaporation is carried on in tubes, and it consists of an improved form of such ap aratus having Vertical'tubes of great length c isposed within an inclosing shell to whiclli heat is admitted `to reduce the water content of the liquid under process of concentration. This apparatus is based upon a novel method of circulating the liquid Vto be concentrated whereby it is caused to rise within said tubes from a body of liquid fed to the bottom ofthe saine, in a series of ascending films 'clinging to the inne'r surface of suoli tubes, such films being caused b the presence of steam from saidf liquid W ich carries the latter in a thin stream, in a more or less concentrated condition depending upon the number ol effects the liquid has passed through, to the top of said tubes' where the lliq'uid is caught and may be passed to another structure employing a similar set of tubes or otherwise ydis-- posed of, and wherein' the steam is' passed through a separator whereby the liquid en- .trained therewith may be removed; the

'or casing 1 is provi( steam passing to the next effect or disposed of as may be desired.

My present improvement is for the purpose of remedying a more or less serious drawback that has been met with in these Y When working in regulating the admission of liquid to the feed l chamber for the following set of tubes, and the production of steam is such that it represents a volume considerably greater than that ofthe liquid. rThe tendency of the steam to iush into the feed chamber at the bottom of the tubes prevents the 'even distribution of the liquid in each tube; a condition that is essential to the satisfactory working of an evaporating apparatusof this character.

. In Fig.. 1, of the drawings herewith, I

showing one effect of an evaporator made in accordance with the invention forming .the subject-matter of my ap lieation before referred to, 1 represents a s ell or casing forming a chamber to which steam is admitted at the inlet`2, for circulation around a series of e'vaporating tubes 3, through which the liquid passes rom a receiving chamber 4 at the.

bottom of the shell or casing, toa se iaratin chamber 5 at the to i of the saine. 'l` he shell Y led with upper and lower plates 6 to which the tubes are secured in any suitable manner that will be steam and watertight, in order that there will be no danger ol the liquid under 'process of concentration entering the steam chamber, -or vice versa. The se arating chamber 5 is provided with an out et 7 for the steam generated within the evaporating tubes, and anl outlet S, communicating with a pipe 9, for the concentrated liquid. Mounted within this chamber is a separator 1() suspended by a rod 10 from the upper part of the separating chamber 5, which serves to effect separation of the steam from the concentrated liquid, and a collar 11 in the upper part of the chamber serves todivert any liquid that may rise on the walls of the chamber. lf the evaporating tubes 3 terminated at the lower tube plate 6, the liquid enterin the receiving chamber l would be disc arged directly against said tube plate at considerable speed, and on acy count of its very large volume, it would be precipitated in `the direction oi the tubes which happen to be situated immediately above the point ci issue, causing in these tubes an active circulation, while in the other tubes there would be little, ii any, circulation Whatever. There exists no means oi avoiding this 'drawback other than the separation oi' the steam and liquid under process oi concentration and its even distribution. in each tube, and this is effected, according to my present invention, in the iollowing manner.

lt Will be noticed, in Figs. i and 2, that vthe lower ends of the evaporator' tubes 3 instead of terminatinp' at the lower tube plate t3, extend into the iced chamber #i be f and the feed pipe l2 delivering Y concentrated liquid has a nozzle is which also extends into said chamber and discharges above the inlet openings `to said tubes.

The extremities 3a oi the evaporating tubes 3 extending into said feed chamber are all of the same length, and they are provided with one or more slits 14 of the same lengthf They result obtained by this arrangement is at once apparent. The mixture oi steam and liquid entering through the nozzle 13 oi the feed pipe l2 hurls itself against the bottom tube plate 6 and brings about a separation oi said mixture; the steam remaining at the top of the feed chamber and the liquid necessarily failing to the bottom. As the steam can only enter the tubes throughthe slits lli, and the top of the same being on the saine level, each tube will necessarily receive the same amount ol steam.

Fig. 3, shows substantiallyT the same ar rangement applied in a different manner. ln this form of my invention the tubes 3 terminate at the lower plate but a second plate carries a series of short tubular sections l5 registering with said tubes .3, and having slits 14B, as in the structure shown in Figs. and 2.

ln Fig. 1i, the tubes 3, instead oi being eX- panded into the tube plate 6, have their ends reduced at 3b, such ends extending through said tube plate and being fixed thereto by means of stuffing boxes i6. These reduced ends 3b are provided with slits lill.

' in the form of my 5, the slits are omitted and the ends of t tubes are beveled ofi an l the upper edge of said bevel.

in each case the object ai ate two spaces in the recei one at the to' 'for the 2am, a the bottom lor the l 1, and to ,i l i .ventipn shown in li`ig.

an even distribution and admission oi steam to each tube. Under these circumstances the production of steam, which cannot be avoided, instead oibeing a drawbacl,'irn proves the working of the apparatus. The steam bubbles entering at vthe Vfoot of each be eliect evaporation at once, which otherwise would not take place at the lower eX- treinities of the tubes. The advantages of this arrangement are so well realized that even in the case ol apparatus not working in multiple effect, that is to say, when the self generation of steam does not exist, it has been found advantageous to adopt this arrangement and in lieu of the steam generated spontaneously, to specially introduce steam for the purpose. Each receiving chamber 4 is provided with an a erture 18 for drainage and cleansing, norma. ly closed by a plug i9.

ln Fig. l have shown a form of apparatus in which the tubes 3 terminate at the bottom plate 6. ln this arrangement'the inlet nozzle 13 is rovided with a bell or hood\ 2G against whici the incoming liquid is discharged with more or less velocity and by which such liquid is directed into the chamber Ll. in this arrangement the steam space is omitted and as soon as the receiving chamber is filled with liquid, uniform feed to the pipes 3 is insured.

l claim:

i. ln a vertical tube evaporator, the combination of a receiving chamber at the base of the tubes for the liquid under treatment, evaporating tubes leading upwardly from said chamber, portions of said tubes eXtending into the receiving chamber, and an inlet pipe :tor said liquid, said pipe having. its discharge outletwithin said receiving chamber' ata point above the tube inlets. 2, ln a vertical tube evaporator, the combination of a receiving chamber at the base of the tubes for the liquid under treatment, eva orating 'tubes leading upwardly from sai chamber, portions of said tubes extending into the receiving chamber, an inlet pipe for said liquid, and a discharge nozzle can ried by said pipe having its outlet within said receiving chamber at a point above the 'tube i'. lets.

ln'a tubular evaporator, the combination of a receiving chamber for the liquid to be concentrated, evaporating tubes leading from' said chamber and having portions ex 'tending therein, said and an inlet pipe for i id liquid havin its outlet above the uppi rgni of said s ots. ln a tubular evaporator, the combina tion o'l a receiving chamber for the liquid to be coi "entrated, evaporating tubes leading lit-f chamber and having portions eX- tnerein, said portions being slotted, pipe for said liquid, and a discharge lor said pipe having its outlet above margin of said slots.

0"ortions being 'slotte-d,

5. In tubular evaporators,ithe combination of a series of vertical evaporating tubes, a receiving chamber for the liquid to be evap-A orated communicating with said tubes, the latter having slotted extensions extending into said receiving chamber, and a feed pipe for delivering liquid to said receiving chamber having its outlet extending above the inlet openings to said tubes.

6. In tubular evaporators, the combination of a series of vertical evaporating tubes, a receiving chamber for the liquid to be evaporated communicating with said tubes, the latter having slotted extensions extending into said receiving chamber, a feed pipe for delivering liquid to said receiving chamber, and a nozzle carried by said feed pipe and extending above the inlet openings to said tubes. y.

7. In a` vertical tube evaporating apparatus, the combination of a series of long vertical evaporating tubes, means for heating the saine, a receiving chamber for the liquid under treatment into w "rich they lower ends of said tubes extend, ind means for discharging liquid into said chamber` at a point above the tube inlets whereby a separation of said liquid from accompanying steam may be accomplished and providing an even distribution of said steam and liquid to the inlet openings of the several tubes.

8. In a vertical tube evaporator, the conibination of a steam casing, a series of evaporating tubes mounted therein, a receiving chamber at the bottom of said casing in communication with said tubes and into which the latter projects, slotted ends carried by said tubes within said chamber, and means for discharging the liquid under treatment into said chamber at a oint above said slotted ends whereby the distribution of said liquid to the tubes will be uniform.

9. In evaporators of thelong vertical tube type, the 'combination oi the tubos, lates to which said tubes are secured, a cy indrical casing forming wit h said plates a steamspacc, a chamber for receiving and distributing the liquid under treatment exterior oit said steam space and communicating with all of said tubes, slotted extensions carried by .said iipes and projecting through the lower plate into said chamber` the height oi said slots being the same in each case whereby a steam space is provided between the saure and the top of said chamber in order that any steam entering said chamber may be separated from the liquid entering therewith and may be evenly distributed to said tubes, and means for discharging liquid into said chamber at a point above the inlet to said tubes.

l0. Ina vertical tube evaporator, the comn bination of aieceiving chamber at the base of the same lor the liquid under treatment, evaporating tubes leading from said chain ber, an inlet pipe for discharging said liquidinto the receiving chamber, and means for etl'ecting an even feed ol' said liquid to the evaporating tubes.

11. In a vertical tube evaporator, the combination of a receiving chamber at the base of the same for the li( uid under treatment, evaporatiiig tubes leading from said chamber, an inlet pipe for discharging said liquid intothe receiving chamber, said lilet pipe beiiig' centrally disposed with respect to said. receiving chamber and discharging in an upward direction, and means l'or ellec'ting an even feed of the liquid to the several tubes.

In testimony whereotI l have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

'. PAUL KESTNER.

Witnesses:

Ciminna PiuiN,

LoN PicciciiL. 

